Light of Wisdom

Let the light shine on Hyrule for times to come...

[dragondivinus-blog]

Someone keeps taking my dragonstones. I don’t know who you are, but good riddance… It would be in your best interest to confess now before I resort to more drastic measures later.

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"Dragonstones...?"

Apparently she had kept bumping into the word 'dragon'. Ashley's attempt to summon a dragon or something along the lines of that, then a book discerning Mega Evolution, specifically Charizard's, and now something about dragonstones.

"...I know not of these dragon stones, but if I may guess, they are special stones?"

[incarnatesofwisdom]

The mattress beneath Zelda sunk slowly as her eyes rested on the metallic utensil that lay flat next to her. She had awaken one morning to find a spoon, that had seemingly come from nowhere, right at her doorstep.

"Perhaps I should return this…" she wondered. But to where? Or perhaps who? The...

[skye-high-multiverse]

Cutlery Conundrum

"What's wrong Princess?" asked Rock who had been visiting as a way to connect to his few friends.

[incarnatesofwisdom]

She lifted her head towards the source of the voice, and was greeted with a sight of a blue robot standing by the doorway.

"Hello..." Zelda greeted quietly, before continuing, "I was wondering where there is a...spoon by my door this morning."

She held up a spoon, pinching its handle between her right index finger and thumb. The silvery spoon shone in the shining sunlight, its surface smooth to the touch.

"There had been strange occurrences in this hotel, and I worry this spoon may be part of them..." she explained with concern in her tone.

[incarnatesofwisdom]

A brown clay mug sat on the middle of a coffee table, the green herbal tea emitting steam. Zelda cupped it with both hands, ensuring that the drink was cool enough and took a measurable sip.

She could not help but stare into space, thinking mostly about the incident that had happened in a blink of an eye.

"...I pray they are okay..." Zelda hoped in her heart.

A turquoise mug paired with a smaller yellow mug lay across from her on the racks to dry, as the Hyrulean princess held her mug to her lips and sipped quietly once more.

[incarnatesofwisdom]

Cutlery Conundrum

The mattress beneath Zelda sunk slowly as her eyes rested on the metallic utensil that lay flat next to her. She had awaken one morning to find a spoon, that had seemingly come from nowhere, right at her doorstep.

"Perhaps I should return this..." she wondered. But to where? Or perhaps who? The kitchen? The pantry? Or...

Zelda stood up suddenly and strode off to investigate the kitchen first, as the mark on the bed gradually returned to its original form. Maybe this spoon had some connection to the beads incident, or the incident with Robin. Pure coincidence was hardly considerable, but it still remained a possibility no matter how slim.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Post Event: Doom & Gloom

After the nights of the sudden black out and storm. Robin was out cold in his room for a while. When he finally began to wake up his grumbled a bit to himself as he sat up and sighed deeply.

He didn’t remember anything from the nights before and just seemed to be in a very heavy daze. He looked at his hands and the sign on the back of his right hand was now gone. He scratched his head a bit as he looked around his room and just seemed confused on how he got there. “Wow……must of been a long night….” he muttered to himself as he got up and began to go about his days in the Smash hotel as usual. At least he isn’t a crazy demon thing now.

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"Link...Link...Ganondorf...friend of Robin, Lucina...?"

For hours her eyes darted in the darkness, desperate to land on the people who held her last chances of survival and bits of hope. Exhausted by her fruitless search, the princess tiredly strode up the ladders up to the hotel's rooftop and collapsed onto the ground almost immediately after. The shadowy robes that she wore most of the time during the Twilight era enveloped her limp body as the moon rose and set, and the sun peeked from the horizon, its red-orange rays of light spilling into the sky.

Shaking off the dust and having recovered most of her energy, Zelda once again embarked on her tedious search for her trusted companions and familiars, allowing the cloak to embrace her like a protective mother's arms. Climbing down the ladder, she made her way towards the library instinctively. The black hood provided shade and cover for her eyes, covering the top portion of her eyesight.

"Grima...just what is he...and how do I stop him...?" echoed her troubled mind deep in thought. Her eyes lowered slightly as she searched for answers and ideas with her gifted wisdom and insight.

Zelda's sharp eyes scanned the floor aimlessly. The floors were draped with carpets of a deep red hue. Their sides were draped in golden patterns, and there were brown boots that walked along horizontally across...

She stopped dead in her tracks. From bottom to top, her eyes gradually panned upwards before finally landing on a certain white-haired swordsman. A swordsman who was also a magic user.

'Grima...' the name made itself clear and known in her mind.

However, the evil that made her hairs stand on end was not there. There was no malice, no darkness. Even the mark that the "Robin" earlier had explicitly shown, after his cover was blown, was missing. The only way to satisfy her suspicions and calm her anxiety was to confront him directly again.

"...Robin?"

The voice that emerged from the hooded figure sounded doubtful. And worried.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Robin simply grinned at this as a dark haze began to form around him. A dark presence began to grow behind him in the shape of a monster demonic dragon. It was a disjointed shape but anyone could see that this was a personification of the Fell Dragon…Grima…

Robin proceeded to pull out a dark magic tome and grinned a little at Zelda. The Darkness that was forming this spiritual embodiment of Grima was almost strangling. A dark power that was had even more malice than Ganondorf, this evil might even rival that of Demise.

"Yes…..show me the power of your goddesses Princess, I want to see what the Goddess of Wisdom and see in absolute darkness," Robin? said while grinning evilly at Zelda as he muttered a spell that coated the entire lobby in darkness. "If you please me…then i’ll consider making you a sacrifice to bring about my revival," He continued, though his voice sounded more like a monstrous demon’s for a moment.

[incarnatesofwisdom]

Such power...but Zelda maintained a calm expression and recited her last line:

"In my hour of need, grant me the light to banish evil!"

Light surrounded Zelda and temporarily enveloped the room with a flash. The light subsided to reveal an empty space where she once stood. She needed to find the others fast, especially Link, and even Ganondorf. This was an evil that felt far greater than the King of Evil, and 

Teleporting back into darkness, away from the monster, Zelda picked up her pace and began searching on the other side of the hotel, hoping not to catch the attention of Robin.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Robin suddenly grinned a bit and gave Zelda wicked grin. “Tell me Zelda. If the power of goddesses are carried on the back of yours, ganondorf’s and Link’s hands…”

Robin frowned again as he covered his right eye with his right hand showing the seal of grima on it. “Then wouldn’t that make me just as powerful as you…..or….even more so….”

[incarnatesofwisdom]

Her heart began to race, the blood now pumping faster and more strongly. What was that symbol? And why did it look so familiar? And how did this Robin know about the Triforce and its piece holders?

    The mark of Grima, the Fell Dragon feared by most of the world. After being put to slumber by the first exalt of Ylisse and Naga, a cult group by the name of Grimleal attempted to revive him and provide a suitable vessel for his resurrection...

If this Robin was a vessel, either Grima will have to somehow be casted out or subdued, or that the real Robin lay in the hotel somewhere.

"Spirits of the light! Wielders of the great power that shines far and wide upon the lands of our world..." Zelda recited softly but steadily louder, now that the insignia of the Triforce of Wisdom began to glow...

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Robin frowned at this and clutched his fist while giving Zelda a serious look. He didn’t seem to be willing to offer his hands to Zelda and he seemed to just keep a tighter grip on his tome. “Why?” He simply asked.

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"Do you trust me?" was all she answered.

The sensation of consuming darkness only continued to grow. It was a distinct presence, different from Ganondorf's. She had thought the darkness she felt was simply a result of Robin simply practicing Nosferatu for long periods of time, but her conscience did not fully agree. Funny how other incarnations have also somehow walked into the traps of darkness. It was through their wisdom and quick-thinking that only provided a way out of the traps.

Zelda awaited the answer to her question, and also the answer to her suspicions.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Robin looked at Zelda with a look of surprise. He has never seem her so horrified before. the expression didn’t look natural on her face. Regardless he got up and scowled at her. Did she figure something out, did she learn something he wasn’t hoping for?

"Princess….what’s wrong? You….don’t seem well," He said, his tone of voice seeming a little unsure but a little defensive as well.

[incarnatesofwisdom]

Strengthening the candle once more, the light spread to the opposite corners of the room. Nothing under the chairs, or anywhere else in the room. But she could feel an eerie presence. It had followed them all the way from the library. Unless...

"Will you let me see your hands then? I will try to track them..."

Zelda readied her left palm, turning at an angle as she extended her right arm towards the magician while keeping a determined expression.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Robin took one of the seat in the lobby and sat forward while seeming his deep though. Both hands laced together in front of him. He knew that do to the other smashers odd behavior they wouldn’t be able to just grab them and get somewhere safe. No, they would have to make a plan. 

He lowered his hood and sighed a bit before sitting back int he chair and smiled at Zelda. “Zelda……i just remembered……you have one of the three great powers of Hyrule. The triforce of Wisdom. That must be keeping you from acting like the others….i wonder why that is.

[incarnatesofwisdom]

Click.

That was when it occurred to her. It was an unconfirmed suspicion, but a real possibility. It happened earlier that very early morning...

----------------------------------------------------------------

She had a vision. A dream. In her dream, she was seated in the lobby. Smashers around her could be seen interacting and talking with smiles on their faces, some laughing and a few others irritated. Nonetheless the atmosphere was cheery.

At the corner of her eye, she saw a shapeless darkness crawl past the legs of the Smashers. As it slithered across them, the energy on their faces was drained, and they began behaving in ways they would not normally consider. The happy ones suddenly bore a very grieved expression, as if they lost all hope, or lost someone very dear. The quiet ones stretched their mouths to an unrealistic grin that could have indicated malice or just insanity.

They suddenly began to melt like wax on a burning candle, and soon they were but all puddles of bubbling black. The darkness swarmed over these puddles and as quickly as the puddles were formed, they were absorbed by the ever-consuming darkness. Each person it took, the darkness grew in size and power. An unfathomable and towering figure emerged before the princess, and the hotel began to shake and shatter. Like an earthquake and tsunami combined, the hotel was destroyed into shards and rubble, as the wave of darkness crashed over her...

----------------------------------------------------------------

Zelda blinked in recoil, having recovered from the flashback. She placed a supportive palm on her forehead, taking time to relax her breathing. Her eyes darted around the room, before finally stopping at the chair Robin rested on. That chair...she sat there in her dream...

Her pupils slightly shrunk in pure horror and realization.

"Get off that chair."

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Robin sighed a bit as he pulled out one of his tomes. The elfire tome. He muttered the spell and it back a dull purple flame in his hand. Even though it was a dark color for a flame it light the area well and he seemed to scan around one last time before dispelling the flame. “I should of guessed…i did see some of others while going to the library but they all seemed to be acting oddly…I would guess whatever is affecting them is the same thing that’s spiriting away all the other fighters.”

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"Acting oddly? How so?" Zelda inquired curiously. She knew they had to act fast, before any more fall victim to this unknown.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

"Very nice," Robin commented from the increased light from the flame. "Let’s move then." 

Robin began to walk and seemed pretty calm despite the situation. In the darkness of the building and the sound of thundering rain and lightning just made the whole place seem…haunted. Yet Robin seemed to blend into atmosphere almost seamlessly. 

[incarnatesofwisdom]

Trailing behind Robin and ensuring the light lit the path in front of them, Zelda carefully cupped the holder in her hands. The light from the candle, being the only source of constant light, bathed their surrounding areas in a warm, flickering light, as the flame struggled to remain steady amongst the storm and cold.

The hotel would be lit in blinding light for a split second every now and then. The sounds of rainwater fell continuously on the glass window panes, drowning the silence and the sounds of their footsteps. If it was not for the faint light that cast event fainter shadows on the ground, the hotel would have indeed been plunged into the very essence of darkness.

Zelda knocked a few doors on her as she followed the sorcerer, but to no avail. It was likely they were sleeping or too frightened to come out and explore the dark hallways, or maybe even lost. After a series of knocks with no responses, the princess considered calling out to the Smashers. By wisdom and instinct, she dropped the idea and so kept on searching.

They must have arrived at the lobby, for the light of the candle blew away the darkness like dust, revealing a much more spacious room than the corridors they had gone through. To their disappointment, only silence and emptiness occupied the seats scattered across the room.

"Where could have they gone to...?" Zelda whispered wondrously. Of course no one knew the answer to that question, but it was something no person could help but ask.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"I agree," came her response. "Shall we split up then? I will look in this direction."

She pointed towards the direction where she had come from earlier.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

"Actually, i’d like to request that we search together princess," Robin said formally. "I believe whatever is taking the fighters sticks when they’re alone," He said while giving Zelda the candle holder.

"If its not to much trouble, i think its a better idea. I’ll even let you lead if you have a vague idea of where the others are."

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"Oh, yes. Let us go together," Zelda answered gratefully as she carefully received the holder into her palms. "I hope the others remain safe..."

With her gaze piercing into the candle's dancing flames, she came to conclude after much thought, "The others may be in the lobby. We can search for those lingering outside their rooms on the way."

Zelda shifted the holder into her right hand, and strengthened the burning flame on the candle with her left hand, so it glowed brighter and burnt all the more, but still preserved the wax.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

"Its fine for now…..the spell didn’t work too well. Something seems to be interrupting it," Robin said as he sighed and scratched his neck. "I wish Miriel was here. She’s better at spell work than me."

"Oh well," Robin said while smiling at Zelda. "Maybe you can help with one thing. Maybe you and i can go looking around for the other fighters. Its not a quick as a spell but i guess on foot is our only way now."

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"I agree," came her response. "Shall we split up then? I will look in this direction."

She pointed towards the direction where she had come from earlier.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Robin gave Zelda a small smirk and seemed a little amused by her expression and defensive demeanor. He got the sense that she hear something from with in the library and sighed a bit while straightening his posture.

"Calm yourself my princess. Everything is fine, I was trying to find the missing fighters. I tried using this special spell that helps one track down a target. Its a pretty long winded chant so i’m sorry if it sounded strange to you," Robin said while showing some of the tomes he had. They seemed to be both spell books from Hyrule and Ylisse. "Turns out it didn’t work…..i guess you shouldn’t trust spells that aren’t from your own world."

[incarnatesofwisdom]

Perhaps Zelda was just overreacting. Things were not to be underestimated in Hyrule -- the delicate balance of peace and chaos was constantly changing.

"I see."

She regained her calmness and composed herself, allowing her look of worry and caution to slip into one of relief and gratitude.

"I apologize if I...seemed to hold something against you. I thought you were doing something strange..." Zelda confessed. Seeing how hard at work Robin was in magic, she offered her help.

"If you allow it, may I help you with this? Or do you need some space to concentrate?"

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"…"

That was all that Zelda could utter....

--

and what happened next was far too fast for her to react.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Sudden the one that was in the room raised his hand with a spell charged in it, ready to fire. It was Robin, with a candle holder and a candle on it in one hand and some books tucked under his arm. His hood was up and when he saw it was Zelda he lowered his hand. 

"Princess Zelda…my apologize…i thought you were someone else."

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"Oh, so it was you..." she replied in surprise. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you..."

It was Robin alright, but something about his aura felt...different. Zelda could tell he was practicing dark magic, perhaps his improvement on Nosferatu. However, the need for candles and the fact that he was carrying more than just his usual tomes spoke otherwise. Surely he wasn't planning on using magic so dark you need light to practice...

In her mind, she was praying to the goddesses and the spirits of the four provinces in the land she had come from.

"...I was just a bit worried about you, so I think I need not worry anymore," Zelda explained to the magic user. Beneath her mask of serenity and calmness lay a face of fright and fear.

'Goddesses, please help this man...' she prayed without moving her lips.

[thespellswordtactician-deactiva]

Event: Doom & Gloom - Robin's Demon

In the darkness of the dead hotel, there seemed to be a deep feeling of despair coming from the library. The doors seemed to be shut and there was deep haunting sound of chanting coming from the library. 

[incarnatesofwisdom]

"..."

That was all that Zelda could utter. She stared at the door intently, backing away slowly as the chants went on vaguely but surely.

"I must tell the rest..." Zelda thought quick on the spot. The princess turned around to seek a hero of courage and a count when the sound of old oak wood creaking emerged from behind.

Spinning around instinctively, Zelda could see that the door was slightly open, allowing a beam of light to pierce the floor. A momentary silence followed, and what happened next was far too fast for her to react.